AsiaSat looks to buy rivals

Last week, Hong Kong-based AsiaSat reported flat revenues for 2013 and an operating profit that fell four per cent. This year, it will launch two new satellites which will help boost revenues, but Chairman Sherwood Dodge said this was not enough, and that acquiring new business, via acquisition, in 2014 will remain a top priority.

AsiaSat 6 and AsiaSat 8 will launch in mid-2014, with ‘6’ going to 120 degrees East, and ‘8’ to 105.5 deg East (which is AsiaSat’s main neighbourhood position). AsiaSat 6 will be part operated by Thailand’s Thaicom which is leasing half of the satellite for which it paid an upfront fee of $171 million to cover the 15-year design life of the craft.

The satellite operator also has on order AsiaSat 9 and this is hoped will launch in 2017.